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Donations stay in Fremont County to help local residents in need

Kettle campaign offers employment, helps less fortunate

By Charlotte Burrous

burrousc@canoncitydailyrecord.com

Posted:
11/29/2013 05:35:20 PM MST

Aaron Prather rings the bell Friday to collect money for Salvation Army through the holidays at City Market. All the money stays to help struggling families in Fremont County. (Charlotte Burrous / Daily Record)

After being without a job for two years, working until Christmas has been a step up for him.

"I've struggled," said Aaron Prather, who is ringing the bells for Salvation Army to collect money to help struggling families living in Fremont County. "I ended up living in my truck."

This job will help him until it ends just before Christmas.

"During this time, I'm looking for a full-time job," Prather said. "Right now, I have a fiancee, who is pregnant with my little son. She's five months. I have to save up pretty quick for that."

When he got laid off from a job in Missouri, he applied for various jobs all over the region.

"I was going from place to place, handing in applications and going to the Workforce Center, looking everyday," Prather said. "I was going nonstop, but nobody would give me a chance."

So he moved to Texas, where he found a job in a large factory. However, when the economy began to lag, the factory had to lay him off.

"I did tidbit jobs here and there, mowing yards, raking leaves, just enough to get rid of my truck and get a car so we could come here," Prather said. "I just had enough money to get my girl (in Missouri) and we came here."

He said this job has helped him so he can get his fiancee what she needs.

"Now we have money in our pocket to be able to buy gas and be able to save enough money to get our own place," Prather said. "This is helping a million times more than any other job I've had."

In the meantime, Salvation Army board of directors member Don Farr said the bellringers would be at City Market, Walmart, Walgreens and Safeway until Christmas Eve. Service club members will ring the bells Saturdays in December at Big D's in Florence and at City Market.

"Something new this year, City Market employees are going to ring the bells one afternoon," Farr said. "Salvation Army will also work with Toys for Tots to gather toys (along with the Royal Gorge Detachment of the Marines Corps League). We'll have a truck or something set up in the parking lot at Walmart on certain days at certain times."

Farr noted the money that was collected last year provided scholarships for 30 local youth to go to camp in Estes Park for a week last summer. It also helped with rent for families, purchased food for Loaves & Fishes, purchased baby clothing and diapers for the Cañon City Pregnancy Center and household items to give away to residents in Florence by some of the churches.

"The Salvation Army is still involved in a lot of the organizations in town," Farr said.

Those who would like to help may do so by dropping coins and bills into the Red Kettles, which is known throughout the land this time of year.

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